A map of the core area of the Kanto Plain appeared in Shiba Yiyin's mind.
Harusuke Kada of the Furukawa Territory presented an oath of allegiance, and Tatebayashi Castle would be captured by Nagao Nagao, who was loyal to the Uesugi family, plus Irobe Katsunaga who was stationed at Sano Castle.
Teruhora Uesugi was not only reorganizing the interior of the Uesugi family, but also took the opportunity to seize the gateway to the core area of the Kanto Plain in Ueno, Shimono, and Shimoso.
She seemed to be punishing Sano Masatsuna, but in fact she was secretly worried that Yoshigan Shiba would not agree.
As Terutora Uesugi became wary of the Kanto Palace, the dazzling military exploits of the Kanto Palace samurai family in the Sano-led battle became a worry for her.
Shiba Yoshigen understood in his heart, but did not show it on his face, and he did not want to overly stimulate Uesugi Teruhu.
How to ease the conflict between the Kanto Palace and the Uesugi family, and how to cope with Uesugi Teruhora's aggressive pursuit, makes Yoshigan Shiba increasingly embarrassed.
He is already feeling a little self-defeating, and he is just messing around one day at a time. Now, just calm down both sides and don't explode. As for the future? The years are quiet and good, go away your numbness.
Sano led Sanada Nobushige, who had made the most meritorious service in the war, and Yoshigan had promised her Azuma County. I believe Uesugi Terutora didn't care about this fringe area northwest of Ueno.
Maybe Terutora Uesugi would be very happy if he could use this useless thing to get rid of the greatest hero of the Kanto Palace.
As for the benefits of other heroes, Teruhora Uesugi also mentioned it just now. Ueno Bridge Territory, Dahu Territory, Nabo Territory, these rich plains southeast of Ueno are enough to reward the Uesugi family and the Kanto Palace.
Regarding Uesugi Teruhora secretly thinking about controlling the Three Kingdoms portal in the core area of the Kanto Plain, Shiba Yoshigan decided to play dumb.
He pretended not to care and said.
"Sano Masatsuna really deserves some punishment. Katsunaga Irobe has done a lot of credit this time. Let Sano Joyoi give it to her."
Terutora Uesugi was stunned. She didn't expect Yoshigan Shiba to be so easy to talk to. Observing his expression carefully, I felt a hint of enlightenment.
Yoshigan Shiba is so smart, he must know the importance of Sano Castle, Tatebayashi Castle, and Furukawa Castle. But he gave these benefits to himself calmly. What does this mean?
this is Love!
Uesugi Teru's heart is full of joy and his smile is blooming. He must understand my painstaking efforts, and he also wants to be with me, so he doesn't care about it. After all, what's mine is his.
The two people in the room looked at each other and smiled, and it was another happy day.
The two sides are going further and further apart in the wrong tacit understanding. Who knows when one day, reality will ruthlessly tear apart the truth, the bloody truth.
———
Sano Masatsuna returned to Karasawa Mountain Castle from Sano Castle with a sad look on his face.
She had just sat down in the meeting hall, and Onodera Kagetsuna, who had been waiting for a long time, asked impatiently.
"My lord, is the imperial office unwilling to see you?"
Sano Masatsuna sighed.
"I met you. Not only did I meet the Imperial Palace, but also His Highness Uesugi."
Onodera Keizuna saw that she was not very interested and said cautiously.
"Your Highnesses are still angry?"
Sano Masatsuna said bitterly.
"Angry? Hehe, not angry. He took away my Sano Castle. Of course he has calmed down."
"What!"
Onodera Keizuna was shocked and looked at Sano Masatsuna in disbelief. The Sano family ruled the Sano territory and relied on two castles.
One, the sturdy Karazawa Mountain Castle. Second, the wealthy Sano Castle. The former is military support, and the latter is economic support.
Sano Masazuna frowned and said angrily.
"What are you shouting for! Do you think I am willing?"
Her heart was bleeding, but recalling Terutora Uesugi's fierce eyes, she still felt frightened even now and could not think of rejecting him.
Sano Masatsuna doesn't want to leave Sano Castle either, but is it okay if she doesn't? The Echigo army is now stationed at the foot of the mountain, and Terutora Uesugi and Yoshigan Shiba live in Sano Castle.
Terutora Uesugi is not discussing with her, this is an order! The Hojo army was defeated, and the Sano leader had no other choice but to follow Echigo closely.
Sano Masatsuna hesitated to send troops on his own and thought of conserving his strength, but Uesugi Terutora caught him and punished him. Either give in or be killed, any fool knows how to choose.
Knowing that he had made a mistake, Onodera Keizuna fell to the ground and apologized, but his face was still desolate and it was difficult to accept the result.
Sano Territory is a prosperous land, with the mineral resources of the Ashio Mountains in the north and the alluvial plains along the Watarase River in the south.
Now that Sano Castle has been taken away, it is impossible for the Echigo samurai family to take only the isolated castle. They will definitely be given a security certificate on the grounds of military supplies for the garrison, and the local people will be taxed.
If you just want some land, money, food and labor, then forget it and just take it as the protection fee given by the Sano family. Onodera Keizuna was afraid that the Echigo samurai would be greedy and ask for more.
she asked carefully.
"My lord, has His Highness Uesugi mentioned the idea of mineral tax burden?"
Sano Territory belongs to the southern foothills of the Ashikaga Mountains, and its most famous mineral is the local copper mine. Copper in ancient times was money.
If the Echigo samurai stationed there were eyeing the copper mines and reaching out to make money, the Sano family would have a hard time in the future.
Sano Masatsuna said anxiously.
“It wasn’t mentioned at all.
Now the first target of the Echigo army is the Hojo family, and conquering Sagami country is more important than anything else.
Before the winter break and the truce, His Highness Uesugi had no time to pay attention to these government affairs. Even if there is friction in the future, it will be next year. "
Sano Masatsuna already regretted in her heart that she had become the leader in order to covet the three thousand koku of food given by Echigo.
It's better now, the territory has been beaten to pieces, and the loss is far more than three thousand stones. Uesugi Teruhora even found a reason to install the Echigo samurai there, and he didn't know how he would be exploited in the future.
It is better to speculate on both sides than to follow one family closely. The Xiaowu family should be their own protectors and use less crooked ideas.
Sano Masatsuna was so regretful that he even began to pray for Hojo Ujiyasu to hold on and give his family hope. If the Echigo samurai family really pushes people too far, I will rebel and join the Hojo family.
Onodera Keizuna didn't know that his master had other thoughts, so he just sighed. This was the Xiaowu family's helplessness.
No one can afford to offend anyone, and everyone must be treated with care. Sneaking and sneaking are essential skills. Once you make a wrong decision, you will be doomed.
———
Just when Sano Masazuna was frowning and had a different intention. Yoshigan Shiba was in Sano Castle and invited Ashikaga Yoshiji to watch the performance and drink tea.
The war was chaotic, and the intellectuals had long since fled to dangerous places. There were no good tea lovers anywhere.
The temporary tea man was very nervous, the sound of grinding tea was harsh, the boiling water was splashing everywhere, and he was so busy that even a layman like Sibo Yiyin felt very bad.
Ashikaga Yoshiji was carefully raised by the Kamakura Ashikaga family since he was a child, and he was not lacking in etiquette. At this time, she pretended to be a righteous and unyielding political virgin, and of course she had to take the opportunity to make fun of her.
"The tea master at the imperial office has a remarkable technique, which is truly the only one I have seen in my life.
If I had my usual temper, I would have been dragged down and beheaded. This would be the result of being disrespectful to the Ashikaga family. "
The tea man was so confused that he dropped the utensils in his hands and was so frightened that he kowtowed as if pounding garlic. Yiyin sighed and waved her hand to let her go down. The tea man, as if he had received an amnesty, quickly bowed and left.
I saw Ashikaga Yoshiji carrying the chastity memorial, showing his unyielding attitude. Yiyin couldn't help but think of the day of the battle, when she was beaten by his whip and rolled all over the floor, not daring to talk back.
At this time, there were still traces of the first whip on Ashikaga Yoshiji's eyebrows. On a face that is not ugly, the scars left by the whip are really conspicuous.
No wonder Ashikaga Yoshiji stared at him with hatred, and Shiba Yoshigan sighed. He smiled slightly and said softly.
"The Kanto War was the time when the Hime samurai was becoming a female, so there was no place for tea people to stand up. The inability to find good tea people for a while made Lord Ashikaga Yoshiji laugh.
Let me pour you a glass of water, replacing the tea with water, as an apology. "
Yoshigan signaled Ashikaga Yoshiji to pick up the teacup, and he lifted the kettle that was hot from the charcoal fire and poured water into the teacup.
Ashikaga Yoshiji snorted.
People under the eaves have to bow their heads. Although she pretended to be fearless, when she was alone in a room with Shiba Yiyin, a man and a woman, her heart was pounding.
This Shiba Kenshin is famous for his reputation far and wide, and I have even tasted the taste of his whip. You have to pretend to be loyal, but Ashikaga Yoshiji doesn't want to suffer any more.
So she looked disdainful, but she still picked up the teacup obediently, not daring not to give Sibo Yiyin face.
Yiyin poured tea and water for her with a smile, pouring hot water from the spout into the tea cup.
A full amount of hot water overflowed from the teacup, but Yoshigoshi Shiba didn't stop. Ashikaga Yoshiji quickly let go, and the tea cup hit the table, hot water splashed everywhere, making her scream in embarrassment.
Yiyin leisurely put the teapot back on the charcoal fire, and the heat from the spout began to rise again. He looked at Ashikaga Yoshiji, who was afraid of getting angry, and smiled.
"What's wrong with Ashikaga Yoshiji-sama's hands? Can't you even hold a glass of water?"
Ashikaga Yoshiji's serious face had fallen down, and the pain from the whip marks between his eyebrows made her hate it, and even more frightened her.
Sibo Yiyin made it clear that he would not give her face, so how could she pretend to be upright? Are the two of them pretending to be a ghost when they are alone indoors?
Ashikaga Yoshiji said annoyed.
"Odaisho, you and I are both Ashikaga clan, so we should always save face when doing things."
Yiyin glanced at her and said.
"When did the Kamakura Ashikaga family remember that they were a member of the Ashikaga family? Speaking of which, General Ashikaga had already kicked the Kamakura Ashikaga family out of the guardianship system, right?"
Ashikaga Yoshiji breathed heavily, his face turned red, and he spoke word by word.
"Odaisho, you can treat me however you want, but please give dignity to the Kamakura Ashikaga family. Otherwise, I can only commit seppuku."
Ashikaga Yoshiji is not afraid of death, but if Yoshigan Shiba's condition is to let her deny the Kamakura Ashikaga family, then it is better to die happily.
The importance of the Wu family's name is not only the honor of one family, but also the common interest of the entire Wu family group under this family's name.
Ashikaga Yoshiji admitted her defeat and begged for mercy, but she was the only one who was laughed at. But if she disgraced the Kamakura Ashikaga family name, the result would be worse than death.
The Kamakura Ashikaga family has declined, but the Kanto samurai family with this sign in various places is still there, and they still rely on this torii for food.
No one else said it, but Harusuke Neda, who was led by Furukawa, was going to fight Ashikaga Yoshiji.
Without the Kamakura Ashikaga family's signature brand, what is the value of Harusuke Kada, a samurai composer? What qualifications does she have to bargain with Uesugi Teruhu?
Everyone relies on this table to eat. Just because you, Ashikaga Yoshiji, were complimented and asked to take a seat by the boss, it does not mean that you are qualified to lift the table.
Yoshigami Shiba was not trying to force Ashikaga Yoshiji to death, he was just trying to scare her. The way to negotiate is nothing more than to advance two steps and retreat one step. Only by understanding the other party's bottom line can you gain the greatest benefit.
He used a towel to soak up the hot water in front of Ashikaga Yoshiji's case and helped her put the teacup back. Yiyin filled another cup of tea and gently pushed it in front of her.
“You cannot write two Ashikaga in one stroke, blood is thicker than water after all.
The world has been in chaos for hundreds of years, and the reputation of both the recent Ashikaga shoguns and the Kanto shoguns has been greatly reduced.
The worse the situation becomes, the more we must unite sincerely. You should understand the principle that both members of the Ashikaga sect will suffer when their family fortune declines. "
Ashikaga Yoshiji touched the whip mark between his eyebrows with his left hand, turned the tea cup with his right hand, and remained silent.
Shiba Yiyin filled a cup for himself and said again.
"The Echigo army joined forces at Sano and defeated the elite Hojo troops.
You have stayed in the Hojo family for a long time, and you should be very clear about how much this defeat has hurt the Hojo family, and you bear unshirkable responsibility for the defeat. "
Ashikaga Yoshiji sighed.
"Hojo Ujiyasu will not kill me."
Yiyin nodded and said.
"good.
The Hojo clan is a talented woman, so she will definitely bear this tone. The Hojo family still needs you, the Kanto general, to stand up for them politically.
But what about the future? What if one day, the Hojo family becomes full-fledged and no longer needs you?
Hojo Ujiyasu was not young, and she might have passed away by then, and Hojo Umasa became the real Lord of Hojo.
I heard that you have a good relationship with the Hojo clan. Do you think she will stop the Hojo clan and the Hojo ministers from settling old scores because of your good friend?
Or, in order to clear up her mistakes in the Sano battle, she will put all the responsibility for this battle on you? "
Ashikaga Yoshiji's heart sank.
She knew that Yoshigan Shiba was provoking, but with the political nature of the samurai family, once the Ashikaga Yoshiji loses its use value, he is likely to be used as a scapegoat in the future to vent his anger.
The Hojo clan lost most of the elite members of the Hojo family in Sano, and the entire family was powerful, and numerous important ministers were killed and injured.
This huge conflict, which was enough to explode the Hojo family, was temporarily overshadowed by the external threat of the Echigo army. But if the Hojo family can successfully pass the test, this thunder will explode sooner or later.
Because Hojo Ujimasa is the next generation of Hojo family governor, the relationship between the family governor and the retainers group is mutual support and mutual restriction.
If necessary, the retainers group will definitely bring up the past and use this defeat as a bargaining chip to constrain the Hojo clan's politics.
Thinking about those ancestors who died fighting for the Hojo family, how could the Hojo clan be mean to their descendants? You should be treated kindly!
Will the Hojo clan swallow this dead rat and compromise with the retainers? Or, put all the blame on Ashikaga Yoshiji to cleanse his own stains and relieve himself of his burden to do things more easily.
Choose one of the two, how to choose the Hojo Clan Council?
Ashikaga Yoshiji believed that Hojo Ushimasa would definitely choose to let him die for her. If you are a dead Taoist but not a poor Taoist, there will be no good people who play politics.
